Chesstown King's Reviews and Thoughts

  Bracket A   1)Beyonce’ vs. 9)Janelle Monae : While Queen B had it relatively easy in the first round this round should be a lot more competitive. Janelle is looking for an upset. Vocal Ability- I really feel Beyonce’ is a great singer but Janelle is just as good. 5-5 Albums- This is kinda tough to call but not really. It’s another tie due to Janelle having only classics, and Beyonce’ having classics to match. 5-5 Collaboration-  This round things look better in this category for B. She has had quite a bit more collabos. 7-3 Versatility- Janelle takes this category with a wide array of song styles. B is good here too tho. It’s a reasonable split. 4-6 Impact- This is closer than you might think. Both artists make some truly great music. Issa tie. 5-5 Comm. Success- This is where B tells you to “bow down b**ches” lol. It’s not a good look for Janelle here. 10-0   Beyonce’ wins 36 to 24.  Janelle was more competition for Queen B but ultimately she loses here prett...

Bracket C 2) Mariah Carey vs. 15)Kehlani:  We have a matchup between two very different artists. MC a legend vs. The still up and coming Kehlani. This could be interesting.  Vocal Ability- The Songstress Supreme wins this category but I like Kehlani’s edginess. 7-3 Albums- This is hard to call. All in all Kehlani has some good albums but Mariah has a lot more. I’m going to say what ive heard from Kehlani has been just about on par with the best of MC, plus Kehlani doesn’t have any duds yet. 5-5 Collaboration- This is where things are again hard to call. In her prime MC’s features were much sought after. Kehlani’s features are always pretty good too tho. Both artists are distinctive here. 5-5 Versatility-  Call me crazy but I feel this is where Kehlani really brings it. She seems to be able to craft a lot of different songs, While MC does too maybe not as much…4-6 Impact-  There’s no denying the legendary status of MC which I feel even eclipses what Kehlani has been a...

Truly one of the great R&B works of all time! I love Toni Braxton. Her voice is so sultry and seductive. This album is where it all started. It starts with “Another Sad Love Song” which is amazing. I like the laid back beat too. “Love Affair” is interesting as Toni stays loyal to her man even when a dude tries to steal her away. “Breath Again” is another terrific song. Odds are you probably have heard this by now as it came out in 93’. Its flawless…really it is. The range of emotions here good lawd. Verdict: 10

The highly anticipated album doesn’t disappoint. There’s not really anything left field here. The two R&B heavyweights deliver. The production is decent but it’s the lowpoint here. The album has lots of cohesiveness. The whole album doesn’t really consist of all duets but those songs seem to be better. The album tells the story of Love, Marriage, and Then Divorce. Its not a cycle but rather problematic steps in a relationship that doesn’t work out. I don’t really think this is made for contemporary R&B fans but rather old school enthusiastics. This isn't easy to review...i'ma give it a 8/10